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Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
Hi,
I suffer from Anxiety and Depression. The meds and meditation tend to keep it at bay most of the time. However, the liver reduction diet has brought it screaming back. I struggle falling asleep at night due to depressive thoughts about not eating like I used to as I have found it is what I do when I'm depressed to feel better. In the mornings after anxiety filled dreaming I awake with a full body anxiety attack. The sweats, shakes, and uneasy butterflies feeling in my stomach and chest and legs.
Has anyone else gone through this? My doc doesn't want me on anything like Klonopin (which I took twice daily to get through winter and quit 3 weeks ago) and meditation is not helping as the hunger pains and sounds manifest. Just wondering if anyone has been through this as well and had some advice. It's making every day HARDER AND HARDER INSTEAD OF EASIER.
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Re: Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
Please reach out to your doctor. It must be awful to suffer so. There has to be something that can be done to ease your anxiety. Keep reaching out until you find help and relief. I see you have 10 days until surgery. Take it one day at a time and one phase at a time. Hang in there. Wishing you the best.
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Re: Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
Lanny, I don't have the issues you have -- severe anxiety and depression. But ...
I think that everyone in the days and weeks prior to WLS gets pretty amped up, with or without your kinds of diagnoses. Seriously, I would have considered chill pills prior to my own surgery 3.5 years ago.
After all, each of us at this point were about to do the most radical, irreversible thing we've ever done to handle our (probably) lifelong problem of overweight, obesity, and eventual morbid obesity -- which is connected in innumerable ways to (diagnosed or not) anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, shame, fear, and a host of other feelings and actual physical/medical comorbidities. Not to mention all the social and career challenges we've had to navigate because we are/were [insert here the F word].
So what I'm trying to say is that after you get through surgery and get about a month or two out post-op and realize everything post-op is completely doable and you start to understand better what life after VSG is like (yes, you will eventually be able to eat a LOT more than you think you can -- more about those challenges later), your night sweats may start to subside.
Truly, this is a freak-inducing decision. Really. We all understand.
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Re: Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
Hey Improv. Sorry to hear that you’re struggling so much sweetie. *hugs* yes this is a big change but it will be worth it. I know, as it used to be for me and many other on here, you use food as like a comfort or a way to get enjoyment out of life. It sounds like you’re scared of having regrets afterward of not being able to enjoy it in the amounts you were accustomed to. You learn to enjoy life in a different way, not exclusively through food. I had that same fear as you do now, but I haven’t missed out on life due to scaling back amounts and types of food. I’ve gotten WAY more enjoyment out of it actually. Also, have you ever heard of fake eating? If you really miss a certain food you can’t have or shouldn’t have, or even a certain amount, try fake eating. What that is is still biting chewing tasting and enjoying the food to alsatisfy your Brain hunger but you spit it out instead of swallowing it. I just fake ate two slices of pizza before I posted this! Lol! I do it with almost all foods I can’t have anymore. Or if I want more of something I just fake eat it. Try it out. It may help.
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Re: Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
Hi! I think we all had a hard time during liver shrink phase. Hunger brings out the worst in everyone. I can tell you that I also used food for comfort as most sleevers did and post-op it isn't an issue as long as you do the work. I have to stay on track each day by remembering all of the rules, protein, water, vitamins and exercise. It's MUCH easier post sleeve though. The food cravings and capacity lessen quite a bit and for the first time in my life I'm not solely driven by when the next meal is. It's freeing and it's WORTH IT. I would do it again in an instant. Get through these days one at a time and you won't be sorry. Hang on tight! it's quite a ride!
Gege
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Re: Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
Lanny, I do understand. I have MDD and Severe AD. I did not go off my "crazy" meds. Your increased anxiety can be a part of the detox from Klonipine; I found when I went off, it took about 5 weeks to feel more okay.
Reaching out to the doc is your best bet.
Do not overeat! And it takes about 5 days into pre op to quit feeling nausea and headache, at least in my experience.
Prayers!
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Re: Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
Please talk to your surgeon. I don't suffer from depression, but I know when our psychologist talks at support group he says "If you're on meds for any mental health issues, stay on them."
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Re: Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
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Re: Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gege1061
Hi! I think we all had a hard time during liver shrink phase. Hunger brings out the worst in everyone. I can tell you that I also used food for comfort as most sleevers did and post-op it isn't an issue as long as you do the work. I have to stay on track each day by remembering all of the rules, protein, water, vitamins and exercise. It's MUCH easier post sleeve though. The food cravings and capacity lessen quite a bit and for the first time in my life I'm not solely driven by when the next meal is. It's freeing and it's WORTH IT. I would do it again in an instant. Get through these days one at a time and you won't be sorry. Hang on tight! it's quite a ride!
Gege
Thank you for that.
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Re: Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
Oh no. Please talk to your mental health professional and surgeon and get them on the same page.
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Re: Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
Gege - Please, please, please go to your doctor and try and get back on your medication. There is no reason that I am aware of to stop taking anxiety medication prior to a life changing surgery! It is normal to be excited but I take a medication for depression and I guarantee I would be a wreck if I was not taking that right now so close to my surgery. Please go see your doctor and let him/her know the severity of your symptoms so they can reconsider.
Stacy
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Re: Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
I have not stopped taking my meds. I still take two others. The Klonopin was only temporary as I get Seasonal Affective Disorder. I am doing much better. Two days from surgery and I am ready to go!
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Re: Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
Great news, improvislaw. :)
Let us hear from you when you emerge from surgery, drugland, and are walking, sipping, walking, sipping ....
We all survived. You will, too. :)
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Re: Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
Awesome! Please keep us posted :) You are ready and will do great!
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Re: Anxiety, Depression, and all of this.
Hey! Sorry I've been away from a while. Just wondering how you're doing and if your surgery went well. Hope all is well with you now!